


What's a Few Clothes Between Friends?

by kayliemalinza



Category: Big Wolf on Campus
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-06-02
Updated: 2005-06-02
Packaged: 2017-11-13 16:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/505536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayliemalinza/pseuds/kayliemalinza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You remember that really cool shirt Tommy wears in "Flugelhoff", the one that looks like it wouldn't be caught dead within twenty feet of his closet? The one that looks like it belongs to Merton? Well, this is how Tommy got it. Set before "Flugelhoff" and after "Cat Woman".</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's a Few Clothes Between Friends?

The librarian had been acting weird lately, so Merton and Tommy rendez-vous'd at the Lair to do research.

"Maybe she's like that bookmobile lady," Tommy said, pacing behind Merton's chair. "You know, she's turning people into books."

"Nobody has turned up missing," Merton said. "And just because she's a librarian doesn't mean she's doing the same thing as the woman in the bookmobile. She could be a soul stealer like the guy we ran into last month, or she could be a cat woman like Carole. Mrrow!" Merton clawed at the air and grinned up at Tommy. "Or, oh! I know! She's in a college sorority full of hot women! Do you think she could introduce us?"

"Merton."

Merton slumped back in his chair. "Ok, I guess that is a little farfetched. I'll just do a general search of her peculiarities." He leaned forward to type. "Let's see. Bad eyesight, extreme hostility, complete disregard for fashion...."

"She's smells funny, too," Tommy added. Merton nodded and added that into the search. He browsed for a little while, pointing out possible leads while Tommy leaned over his shoulder to look at the screen.

After some time, Merton turned and said, "Tommy, what are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"You keep rubbing my collarbone. Not that I mind the occasional human contact, but that's starting to tickle."

"Oh," said Tommy, pulling his hand away, "Sorry, but your shirt is so soft." His hand inched towards Merton's collar again.

"It's silk," said Merton, shifting Tommy's fingers to a less ticklish spot. "A luxurious, delicate fabric that is notoriously difficult to take care of."

"Uh huh," said Tommy, thinking of something else that was delicate and hard to take care of.

"It comes from silk worms," Merton said, standing up to have more room to gesture. "But don't let the name fool you. They're actually a form of caterpillar which later transforms into a beautiful moth. The scientific name is _Bombyx mori_."

"Gross," said Tommy, stroking Merton's arm. "So this was like, made from a bug?"

"No, Tommy," said Merton. "The silk worm constructs its cocoon from a fiber produced in its abdomen." Tommy nodded and stuck a fist under his chin, the other hand reaching out every so often to pet Merton's shirt. Merton continued. "Legend has it that the Chinese Princess Si Ling Chi discovered this over 5,000 years ago while having tea under a mulberry tree. A cocoon dropped in her tea cup, and she noticed that it unraveled into a single thread. You see, the cocoon had been held together by an adhesive also excreted by the silk worm, and the hot water—"

"Yeah yeah yeah," said Tommy. "So where could I get one of these?"

"Silk is very expensive, Tommy," said Merton. "And very difficult to maintain. Some types of silk can't even get wet."

"There's different types?" asked Tommy.

"Of course," said Merton, walking towards his closet. "It all depends on how you weave the threads. Now this shirt is a Jacquard weave, which is a heavyweight silk. Others—" he flung open the closet, "are lighter weight, such as this Habutai silk," he said, fingering a blood red shirt. "And this one is made of Noil—"

"Hey, I've never seen you wear this one," said Tommy, pulling out the black button-down. "How come?"

"Oh, well," said Merton, reaching to take it back, but Tommy turned away. "Like I said, silk is really difficult to keep clean, so—"

"Medium large?" said Tommy, glancing at the tag.

"It was a gift from my grandmother," said Merton. "Hey! I didn't say you could try it on!"

Tommy looked up from adjusting the shirt around his shoulders. "It doesn't fit you."

"Well, I'm hoping I'll grow into it!" said Merton. Tommy just laughed and buttoned it up.

"Niiiice," he said, posing in front of the mirror. "Tommy Dawkins, Man of Style. Hey, do you think Stacy will like me in this?"

"What, stolen goods?" said Merton. "Sure, I bet she'll love it."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Alright, ok. You can have it back. Since it was a gift, and everything."

"No, keep it." said Merton. He sighed. "You look really good in it. On me, it kind of sags."

Tommy grinned. "Thanks, buddy. Now, about that librarian...."


End file.
